Brett Favre Announces Parkinson's Diagnosis at US Hearing

Brett Favre one of the NFL’s all-time great quarterbacks has announced that doctors diagnosed him with Parkinson’s disease. The 54-year-old, who spent the majority of his two-decade career with the Green Bay Packers remains the only player to win the NFL’s Most Valuable Player award three consecutive times from 1995 to 1997. Favre a Super Bowl champion with the Packers in 1997 disclosed his diagnosis during a US Congressional hearing.

The hearing related to a welfare fraud case. During the hearing, Brett Favre expressed regret over his investment in a company that he believed was developing a groundbreaking concussion drug, stating, “Sadly, I also lost an investment…while it’s too late for me because I’ve recently been diagnosed with Parkinson’s, this is also a cause dear to my heart.”

Although he has denied any wrongdoing and has not faced criminal charges, a civil lawsuit involves Favre concerning the alleged misuse of federal welfare funds and the Mississippi state auditor pursues him for $727,000 (£543,000) in interest. Favre, who concluded his playing career with the Minnesota Vikings in 2011 earned induction into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2016.

In 2013, he revealed that he experienced memory loss which he attributed to the long-term effects of head injuries sustained during his career. The NFL officially acknowledged in December 2009 that concussions could lead to long-lasting health issues. In 2015, the league reached a $1 billion (£665 million) settlement to compensate former players and committed to invest $100 million (£75 million) in medical and engineering research starting in 2016.